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What you need to know
- Samsung is reportedly introducing “Passive Restart”, a security feature that automatically restarts idle Galaxy phones.
- According to another report, the feature is expanding to more Galaxy phones, as the Galaxy S25 and S26 have it, while the Fold 7 has just picked it up.
- Samsung’s biggest privacy feature will be the Privacy Screen for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which hides the contents of your screen from prying eyes.
Samsung has a few new things to talk about, and one of those new things is a major feature-enhancing security update.
After listening to the reports Sammy Fans state Galaxy phones (other S26 series) started to see the “Disabled Restart” security feature. The feature has reportedly been added to the “Advanced Security” section of the “Security & Privacy” tab in the Galaxy phones’ Settings app. Samsung’s new Inactivity Restart will “reboot your phone if it’s been locked for 72 hours,” it says. This option can be changed, so you don’t need to enable it if you don’t feel like it.
“After your phone restarts, you need to unlock it before you can receive notifications and alarms from some apps and see the names of incoming callers,” the additional description reads. In this regard, Samsung is strengthening its protection for devices that are left unattended for any reason. We all know that it is easy to see a notification on your device, especially if you have a lock screen setting to display its contents. There is a safety net with this.
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Android Central’s Take
Little features like these, little security features, are features that Samsung sometimes throws into the mix. Disabled Restart probably won’t be used by many users – myself included. I use my phone daily. I even held out my hand to him to make sure I wasn’t imagining that I had it a moment ago. Here’s the thing: it’s a feature that sounds cool and makes me go “ooooh” but isn’t seeing widespread use.
The description adds: “If your SIM is locked, you need to unlock it to receive incoming calls.”
People SamMobile picked this up and added that it’s likely just an extension of Inactive Restart. I’ve seen this before on the Galaxy S25 Ultra; However, the publication reports that more phones, such as those in South Korea and beyond, could be more prominently featured with the February 2026 security patch.
Another step for privacy
Speaking of privacy, it’s hard not to mention the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Screen. Samsung was at MWC 2026 to highlight the Ultra the newest privacy featureenchanted the visitors. Privacy Screen works to prevent prying, prying eyes next to you from seeing what you’re doing on your phone. If they don’t go straight, they will see a dark screen. Users have some wiggle room with this, as they can either decide to hide their entire screen, notifications, or certain apps with the Privacy Screen.
Android Central’s Take
Privacy Screen isn’t exactly a “minor feature”. That’s a big part of why people are talking about the Galaxy S26 Ultra, because it’s (arguably) the most interesting thing about it. Sure, we have camera improvements, but the Privacy Screen is practical and I can easily see it being used in everyday life. Sitting on the train or just standing at a red light? Now no one sees who you talk to and what you do. This effectively tells others to mind their own business without your voice.
Another report related to the Galaxy S26 claims that Samsung has appeared added a second NFC sensor. This works to give users a little more choice and convenience when paying for things via NFC. The report says that the Galaxy S26 can complete a scan when its “top edge” is placed near one. The original NFC sensor is still present near the center of the back panel.
